The Pentagon’s point man for the Congressionally directed conversion of civilian employees from the National Security Personnel System said last week he expected the task to be done a year ahead of schedule for the majority of civilians. The Defense Department announced last month the appointment of John James Jr. to lead the effort to move more than 200,000 employees from NSPS back to the old General Schedule system by January 2012 as Congress directed in the 2010 defense authorization act. James said he is “committed to ensure … that employees experience no loss of, or decrease in, pay upon conversion.”
KC-46’s Refueling Boom Damaged While Refueling F-22s
July 8, 2025
A U.S. Air Force KC-46 tanker suffered damage to its boom while refueling F-22 Raptors off the coast of Virginia on July 8, Air & Space Forces Magazine has confirmed, with reported radio communication from the crew indicating the boom “detached.”